Anode cathode distance adjustment device
AssigneeAlcoa Inc.
InventorRobert L. Kozarek
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Abstract
A device for adjusting the distance between the anode and the cathode of an electrolytic cell having a compartment, at least one anode partially disposed in a molten metal producing salt bath and a layer of molten metal above a cathode. The device includes a displacement device partially disposed within the layer of molten metal, and an actuator to move the displacement device generally vertically.
Claims30
In an electrolytic cell comprising a cathode in electrical communication with a layer of molten metal, a molten metal production salt bath positioned above the layer of molten metal, at least one anode partially disposed in said salt bath, and a compartment including a lower surface below said anode and a sump portion extending below said lower surface, the improvement comprising a displacement device partially disposed within said sump portion, said displacement device being movable within said layer of a molten metal to control elevation of the molten metal and the anode-cathode distance.
An electrolytic cell comprising:
- a compartment having a lower surface and containing a molten salt bath and a layer of molten metal having an upper surface;
- a sump portion extending below said lower surface and containing molten metal;
- at least one anode partially disposed in said molten salt bath;
- a cathode in electrical communication with said layer of molten metal;
- and
- a device for adjusting the distance between the anode and the upper surface of said layer of molten metal comprising:
- a displacement device partially disposed in said sump portion and within said layer of molten metal;
- and
- an actuator connected to the displacement device to adjust the vertical height of the displacement device to thereby control the elevation of the upper surface of the molten metal.
A method of controlling the distance between an anode and a cathode of an electrolytic cell having a compartment including a lower surface and a sump portion extending below said lower surface at least one anode partially disposed in a molten metal production salt bath and positioned above a layer of molten metal whereby the upper surface of the molten metal acts as the upper surface of the cathode, an anode-cathode distance defined as the distance between the upper surface of the cathode and the lower surface of the anode, a displacement device at least partially disposed within said sump portion of molten metal, said method comprising:
- producing molten metal in said compartment;
- and
- controlling the elevation of said molten metal in said compartment by moving said displacement device.
A method of producing metal in an electrolytic cell having a compartment including a lower surface and a sump portion extending below said lower surface at least one anode partially disposed in a molten metal production salt bath and positioned above a layer of molten metal, a cathode in electrical communication with said layer of molten metal whereby the upper surface of the molten metal acts as the upper surface of the cathode, an anode-cathode distance defined as the distance between the upper surface of the cathode and the lower surface of the anode, a displacement device partially disposed within said sump portion and within said layer of molten metal, said method comprising:
- producing molten metal in said compartment;
- and
- controlling the elevation of said molten metal in said compartment by moving said displacement device in said sump portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.